5042-H38 Aluminum
5042-H38 aluminum is 5042 aluminum in the H38 temper. This is the strongest temper normally produced through the action of strain hardening followed by stabilization. It is closely related to H18. The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare 5042-H38 aluminum to: 5000-series alloys (top), all aluminum alloys (middle), and the entire database (bottom). A full bar means this is the highest value in the relevant set. A half-full bar means it's 50% of the highest, and so on.
Mechanical Properties
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
68 GPa 9.9 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
3.4 %
Fatigue Strength
120 MPa 18 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.33
Shear Modulus
26 GPa 3.7 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
200 MPa 29 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
340 MPa 50 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
270 MPa 39 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
400 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
180 °C 360 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
640 °C 1190 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
570 °C 1060 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
900 J/kg-K 0.22 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
130 W/m-K 75 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
24 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
33 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
110 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
9.5 % relative
Density
2.7 g/cm3 170 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
8.8 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
150 MJ/kg 66 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
1180 L/kg 140 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
11 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
550 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
14 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
50 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
35 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
40 points
Thermal Diffusivity
53 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
15 points
Alloy Composition
| Al | 94.2 to 96.8 | |
| Mg | 3.0 to 4.0 | |
| Mn | 0.2 to 0.5 | |
| Fe | 0 to 0.35 | |
| Zn | 0 to 0.25 | |
| Si | 0 to 0.2 | |
| Cu | 0 to 0.15 | |
| Cr | 0 to 0.1 | |
| Ti | 0 to 0.1 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.15 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Further Reading
ISO 6361-2: Wrought aluminium and aluminium alloys - Sheets, strips and plates - Part 2: Mechanical properties
EN 573-3: Aluminium and aluminium alloys. Chemical composition and form of wrought products. Chemical composition and form of products
Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials, ASM Handbook vol. 2, ASM International, 1993